Karen, November 2012

“Luis was just wonderful; what an encyclopedic mind!

A veritable wealth of knowledge of plants, animals, birds, history, geography, geology, current events, etc. and all in the most incredible detail! He was always very professional, friendly, and reliable. All of his recommendations for meals, activities, times, etc. were right on the mark.

Ok, highlights–we all LOVED the waterfall rappel/canyoning half-day trip (pricey at $85 or 90 per person w/lunch included, but well worth it, and guides were great) with Defasio outfitters in Arenal, and the ziplining canopy tour (13 ziplines, $45 per person) at Selvatura in Monteverde. I, who am normally terrified of heights, and who agreed to go with some trepidation, was somehow not even remotely bothered by either of these activities, much to my (and my family’s) astonishment. The Fortuna waterfall was fun, though we had only 45 minutes to climb down, swim, and climb back up (a great workout!) before they closed. La Trapiche in Monteverde was a great tour, as was the chocolate tour in Tirimbina. Also had a nice boat tour in Sarapiqui, and saw a monkey swimming! The last day, we made it to both La Paz and Poas volcano before heading to the airport, and both were spectacular. When we got to the top of Poas, it was socked in with clouds, but within minutes, they obligingly moved away to give us a great view of the crater. Coming down, Luis stopped at a little roadside stand, and we picked up strawberries, palmito cheese, and cashews that were to die for. We packed a lot into that last half day before heading to the airport.

We are very much indebted to you for helping us plan this vacation, the memories of which will be with us for a lifetime! We will and already have recommended you to other families interested in Costa Rica.